1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic head slider supporting device, a magnetic head slider, a magnetic disk device and a method of manufacturing the magnetic disk device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a magnetic head slider supporting device, as well as a magnetic head slider and a magnetic disk device, having a guide arm provided with an auto-loading mechanism capable of preventing adhesion between the magnetic head slider and a magnetic disk and a dust removing mechanism.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to attain a higher recording density while improving reliability of a magnetic disk device, it is necessary to prevent adhesion between a magnetic head slider and a magnetic disk during suspension of operation of the magnetic disk device. It is also important to remove fine particles such as dust particles from the interior of the magnetic disk device, and to prevent accidental contact between the magnetic head slider and the magnetic disk referred to as "head crush".
Air loading mechanisms intended for preventing adhesion have been proposed. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,297 discloses a loading mechanism in which stream of air generated between magnetic disks during rotation of these disks is applied to the back side of a magnetic head slider or a supporting spring structure so as to load the magnetic head slider. Another known method disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 59-104769 makes use of a sack-like elastic member or a visco-elastic film provided on the rear side of a magnetic head slider, such that the loading is conducted by supplying air to the sack-like elastic member or the visco-elastic film.
On the other hand, U.S. Pat. No. 4,814,906 discloses an arrangement for removing dust, wherein air suspended dust particles, induced through the air passage hole passing from a flat rail portion of the magnetic head slider to the rear side of the same, are sucked by a suction means so that the particles are trapped and removed.
Thus, each of the known methods and arrangements mentioned above can overcome only one of the aforementioned critical or important requirements for improving the reliability of a magnetic disk device. In other words, none of these known arts could simultaneously meet all the critical requirements for improving the reliability of magnetic disk devices. Thus, there still exists a demand for improvement in the reliability of the magnetic disk device.